Bit of a random one this...

My passport has gone to NZIS via my NZ lawyers in search of a visa. I have a family wedding in France to attend at the beginning of September

What do I do if my passport hasn't come back by then?

If I can't go, the visa application will be a moot point as my Mother. Will. Kill. Me.

You can have multiple passports for the same country, i.e. duplicate passports. Some of my colleagues who travel a lot for business need to have at least 2 passports because some countries won't allow you into the country if your passport has been stamped in certain other countries. For example, I think several Arab countries do not let you in if you have an Israeli stamp on your passport.

According to Wikipedia, if you are a British passport holder, you can have up to 6 passports at the same time! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_passport

If your passport is held at the London branch then you can call in to pick it up & bring it back once you've been approved... I went to pick it up then brought i back, then needed to again at which point she told me to keep it! LOL

When I took our visa application to NZ house in London I explained that we were visiting NZ in 2 months and needed the passports. The case officer photocopied our passports and returned to me. After our trip, when the visa was granted I sent the passports back to NZ house to have visas stuck into passports.